Goldcrests

The UK’s smallest bird. I’ve been sitting at my kitchen table watching a group of Goldcrests (Regulus regulus) flit around the treetops. They’re tiny and keep moving so they’re not easy to spot. I first noticed them by their delicate, high pitch song, that I can just about hear at the tops of the trees. Goldcrests are the UK’s smallest bird, smaller even than Wren’s, adults weighting less than a 20p coin.   

Widespread in the UK. Happily, Goldcrests are currently widespread in the UK, much more common than their cousin, Firecrests. Goldcrests live here year-round, in autumn and winter their numbers are greatly increased by other Goldcrests visiting from Scandinavian to escape the cold there.  

Visiting gardens in winter. Goldcrests live in coniferous and mixed woodlands, also in gardens, especially in winter when resources elsewhere are scarce. On a frosty day like today it’s hard to imagine how these tiny birds can stay warm and find enough food to survive. Goldcrests eat tiny morsels such as very small insects, spiders and moth eggs. These are in short supply when the weather is cold, and many Goldcrests don’t make it through the winter.  Goldcrests won’t take bird food from bird feeders preferring to feed of insects found on the underside of leaves. That’s a good reason to encourage lots of native wildflowers in your garden attracting insects, and to leave the seedheads over winter as shelter for small invertebrate which provide food for the Goldcrests.  This will also help other insectivorous species such as Wrens, Chiffchaffs and Pied Wagtails which prefer not to take food from bird feeders. 

Nesting time. By April Goldcrests will be nesting, they make their nests in trees using spiders’ webs, lichen and moss. Goldcrests can produce up to 20 chicks a year, one of the highest number of chicks among UK birds.  This is necessary to replenish the high numbers that don’t make it through the winter. For more information and ideas on how to rewild your garden visit www.chalkhillrewilding.co.uk